Resurrection Christian, a semifinalist a year ago, has moved into the top 5 of hockey’s rankings this week.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. During the regular season, the poll will release each Monday.
Crowley County (in 2A) and Peetz (1A) boys basketball have taken over as the No. 1 teams in their respective classifications this week.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. During the regular season, they are released each Monday.
Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.
First-place votes are in parentheses.
Coaches and media members looking to vote should email rcasey@chsaa.org.
Class 5A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Rock Canyon (10)
15-0
109
1
2-0
2
ThunderRidge (1)
14-1
98
2
1-0
3
Chaparral
13-3
76
5
2-0
4
George Washington
11-5
72
3
1-0
5
Denver East
11-2
58
6
1-0
6
Overland
8-7
52
9
2-0
7
Grandview
12-3
50
4
1-1
8
Regis Jesuit
12-4
36
8
2-1
9
Doherty
12-3
24
7
1-1
10
Highlands Ranch
13-2
15
10
2-0
Others receiving votes:
Eaglecrest 5, Smoky Hill 5, Liberty 4, Rampart 1.
Dropped out
None.
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Lewis-Palmer (11)
13-1
135
1
2-1
2
Pueblo South (2)
12-2
125
2
2-0
3
Pueblo West (1)
12-2
98
3
2-0
4
Golden
12-3
95
5
2-0
5
Longmont
10-1
94
4
2-0
6
Valor Christian
9-6
63
7
2-0
7
Silver Creek
10-3
39
6
1-2
8
Evergreen
12-3
31
8
1-1
9
Mesa Ridge
9-4
17
–
2-0
10
Elizabeth
10-4
16
–
1-1
Others receiving votes:
Falcon 11, Montrose 9, Windsor 9, Thompson Valley 7, D’Evelyn 5, Widefield 5, Glenwood Springs 4, Holy Family 2, Mountain View 2, Palmer Ridge 1, Roosevelt 1, Vista PEAK 1.
Dropped out
Windsor (9), Thompson Valley (10).
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Sterling (14)
12-0
140
1
3-0
2
Alamosa
10-1
119
2
2-0
3
Kent Denver
11-2
102
3
2-0
4
Platte Valley
11-1
78
5
2-0
5
Grand Valley
9-1
65
4
1-1
6
DSST-Stapleton
10-2
64
6
2-0
7
The Vanguard
11-1
54
–
3-0
8
Manual
8-4
31
8
2-1
9
Resurrection Christian
9-4
21
9
1-1
10
Roaring Fork
9-1
19
–
2-0
Others receiving votes:
Coal Ridge 17, Colorado Academy 13, Faith Christian 13, Bayfield 7, La Junta 7, Arrupe Jesuit 6, Colorado Springs Christian 6, Jefferson 4, Strasburg 4.
Dropped out
Faith Christian (7), La Junta (10).
Class 2A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Crowley County (8)
12-0
115
2
2-0
2
Limon
9-1
95
4
2-0
3
Sedgwick County (2)
11-1
92
1
3-1
4
Del Norte
10-2
83
3
2-0
5
Yuma (2)
8-2
73
5
2-0
6
Byers
10-2
59
7
2-0
7
Highland
8-3
39
10
2-0
8
Vail Christian
10-2
31
6
1-1
9
Meeker
9-3
23
–
2-0
10
Sanford
7-4
18
9
2-1
Others receiving votes:
Ignacio 15, Evangelical Christian 13, Custer County 10, Haxtun 9, Calhan 8, Simla 8, Clear Creek 6, Dayspring Christian 4, Hayden 4, Dolores Huerta 3, Fowler 3, Dawson 1, Rangley 1.
Dropped out
Ignacio (8).
Class 1A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Peetz (5)
11-0
84
2
2-0
2
Holly (2)
12-0
79
3
2-0
3
Creede (2)
12-0
76
1
2-0
4
Cheyenne Wells
8-1
45
6
1-0
5
Heritage Christian
8-2
44
4
1-1
6
Sangre de Cristo
12-1
44
5
3-0
7
Longmont Christian
9-3
35
8
2-0
8
Primero
8-2
26
7
2-0
9
South Baca
8-3
24
9
3-0
10
Kit Carson
8-2
19
10
2-1
Others receiving votes:
Sierra Grande 8, Shining Mountain 5, Cornerstone Christian 4, De Beque 2.
St. Mary’s has taken over the top spot in the Class 3A girls basketball rankings.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. During the regular season, they are released each Monday.
Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.
First-place votes are in parentheses.
Coaches and media members looking to vote should email rcasey@chsaa.org.
Class 5A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Regis Jesuit (5)
13-3
84
1
3-1
2
Ralston Valley (1)
12-1
83
2
2-0
3
Grandview
11-3
76
4
2-0
4
Highlands Ranch (1)
13-3
73
3
2-0
5
Horizon (1)
14-1
71
5
2-0
6
Castle View
14-2
45
8
2-0
7
Fruita Monument (2)
15-1
40
6
3-0
8
Lakewood
12-3
31
9
2-0
9
Fossil Ridge
11-4
24
7
1-1
10
Cherry Creek
10-4
19
10
1-1
Others receiving votes:
Fort Collins 2, Chaparral 1, Doherty 1.
Dropped out
None.
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Pueblo West (13)
13-1
130
1
3-0
2
Holy Family
13-2
89
3
2-0
3
Golden
14-1
87
2
2-0
4
Evergreen
13-1
85
4
2-0
5
Air Academy
13-1
78
5
2-0
6
Mesa Ridge
10-2
57
7
2-0
7
Valor Christian
11-4
54
6
1-1
8
Windsor
10-4
36
–
3-0
9
Thomas Jefferson
13-2
30
8
1-1
10
D’Evelyn
11-4
27
10
2-0
Others receiving votes:
Widefield 12, Harrison 8, Berthoud 7, Rifle 7, Pueblo South 5, Mullen 2, Greeley Central 1.
Dropped out
Berthoud (9).
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
St. Mary’s (6)
11-0
105
2
1-0
2
Centauri (5)
13-0
98
1
2-0
3
Colorado Springs Christian
11-2
86
3
2-0
4
Pagosa Springs
10-2
63
4
3-0
5
Lamar
10-2
62
5
2-0
6
Cedaredge
10-0
55
8
2-0
7
Kent Denver
11-2
39
6
2-0
8
Resurrection Christian
11-1
32
7
2-0
9
Sterling
8-4
16
9
3-0
10
University
10-2
12
10
2-0
Others receiving votes:
Jefferson Academy 10, Moffat County 9, Manitou Springs 7, Lutheran 5, Delta 3, Alamosa 2, Eaton 1.
Dropped out
None.
Class 2A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Yuma (10)
10-0
118
1
2-0
2
Swink (2)
11-1
99
2
2-0
3
Wray
9-2
83
4
3-0
4
Holyoke
10-2
68
5
0-1
5
Limon
10-0
62
3
2-0
6
Del Norte
9-3
59
7
2-0
7
Simla
8-1
43
6
1-1
8
Ignacio
10-0
29
8
2-0
9
Denver Christian
10-3
27
10
3-0
10
Soroco
9-3
25
–
2-0
Others receiving votes:
Highland 20, Meeker 6, Calhan 5, Haxtun 5, Colorado Springs School 3, Ellicott 3, Burlington 1, Rangley 1, Rocky Ford 1, Sanford 1, Vail Christian 1.
Dropped out
Vail Christian (9).
Class 1A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Kit Carson (13)
9-0
148
1
2-0
2
Kim/Branson (2)
11-1
122
4
2-0
3
Fleming
10-1
116
2
2-0
4
Briggsdale
11-1
113
3
3-0
5
Sangre de Cristo
12-1
84
5
2-1
6
Holly
9-2
70
7
1-0
7
Antonito
8-3
40
8
1-1
8
Heritage Christian
9-2
36
10
2-0
9
La Veta
7-2
30
6
0-1
10
Springfield
7-3
25
–
2-0
Others receiving votes:
McClave 24, Cotopaxi 12, North Park 12, Eads 10, Sierra Grande 7, Wiley 7, De Beque 6, Arickaree/Woodlin 4, Cheraw 4, Cheyenne Wells 4, Belleview Christian 3, Longmont Christian 2, Weldon Valley 1.
LAFAYETTE — If there was a theme Saturday night for a number of wrestlers at the Top of the Rockies tournament, it was “unfinished business”.
Take Pueblo East’s Jace Trujillo, for example. The junior was on his way to defending his state championship last February, only to stumble in the state semifinals. Trujillo eventually finished fifth, which was more than enough motivation to get the Eagles standout going this summer.
“It was kind of devastating for me. I was so determined to work my butt off and just get that last one, but I just didn’t have it in me. I had no energy,” Trujillo said. “It pushed me this year to go the fullest.”
Trujillo edged city rival Josiah Nava of Pueblo County in the 120-pound final Saturday night at Centaurus High School in what was arguably the match of the night. Trujillo and Nava went back and forth in a match that included five reversals, scoring a late takedown and near fall to win 13-10.
“I just kept attacking and kept going as hard as I can,” Trujillo said. “Trying to get my moves, get my shots. I had to control the match and do whatever I can to keep him down.”
Pueblo County still came out on top as a team though. The Hornets, backed by titles from Brendon Garcia and Nathan Bonham, scored 202.5 points to easily finish first. Pueblo East (166), Grand Junction (160.5), Poudre (144.5) and Ponderosa (121) rounded out the top five.
“Coaches love the competition, and we love it just as much,” Bonham said. “That’s what all the training and hard work is for, stuff like this. Come and face the best teams in Colorado.”
Like Trujillo, Bonham came up just short a year ago as a sophomore. Bonham lost in the 120-pound title match at state, 2-0.
“We look at that as motivation for us,” Bonham said. “Come out here and do better than we did last time.”
Bonham pinned Adams City’s Nicholas Gonzalez in three minutes, 38 seconds at 126 pounds. Garcia won by a 6-4 decision at 113 pounds over Pueblo East’s Andrew Lucero. Dante Garcia was second at 220 after an injury forfeit.
“It was a great match. I wrestled him last week and he beat me,” Bonham said. “The kid’s great. During the match, I just knew I had to keep up with my scrambling. I knew it was going to be a hard match coming into it.”
The outstanding wrestlers were Monarch freshman Vince Cornella (106 pounds) in the lower weights, and Ponderosa’s Cohlton Schultz (285) in the upper weights.
Grand Junction’s Josiah Rider (152) and Seth Lathum (182) captured titles for the Tigers, who were the top 5A team. Dylan Martinez was second at 145 after falling 7-1 to three-time defending state champion Jacob Greenwood of Poudre.
Lathum scored a 17-1 technical fall over Legacy’s Drian Hays after losing to Hays in the third-place match at state last year.
“I’m getting better this year and I know the work I’m putting in in the room and outside the room is going to show,” Lathum said. “I’ve just been trying to bust my butt in that wrestling room, working out and doing what I have to win matches like this that I lost last year.”
Lathum said placing fourth two years in a row was an eye-opener for him, and the senior already has 30 wins this year. As for the team, Grand Junction continues to serve notice that it may be the team to beat in 5A. The Tigers were second to Pomona last February.
“We’re there as a team. We dualed Pomona and beat them, we beat them in tournaments,” Lathum said. “We’re there, and we’re very capable of it. It’s just everyone showing up at the Pepsi Center and doing what they can to get us a team championship.”
Ponderosa claimed three titles Saturday night, including the one by Schultz at heavyweight. The junior pinned his way through the tournament, including a fall at 1:44 over Rocky Ford’s Greg Garcia in the finals.
Parker Benekas (170) and Jayden Woodruff (195) also won titles. Benekas posted a 4-2 decision over Adams City’s Christian Powell in his first match at that weight; Woodruff also pinned his way through the tournament, including a pin in 1:01 Saturday night.
Both Mustangs finished second at state a year ago.
“I want to win so bad, me and Jayden both,” said Benekas, who moved up a weight class to get bigger for college. “We’ve been really working hard this season.”
Pomona’s Theorius Robison (132) and Colton Yapoujian (138) finished first to help the Panthers place sixth. Cornella earned a 19-5 major decision at 106; Lakewood’s Gabe Dinette won 4-2 at 160; and Mason Watt won via injury forfeit at 220.
[divider]
Top of the Rockies
At Centaurus High School
Top 10 Team Scores: Pueblo County 202.5, Pueblo East 166, Grand Junction 160.5, Poudre 144.5, Ponderosa 121, Pomona 120.5, Broomfield 117, Legacy 104, Grandview 101.5, Monarch 97.
106 – Vince Cornella, Monarch, maj. dec. Paul Garcia, Scottsbluff (Neb)., 19-5
113 – Brendon Garcia, Pueblo County, dec. Andrew Lucero, Pueblo East, 6-4
120 – Jace Trujillo, Pueblo East, dec. Josiah Nava, Pueblo County, 13-10
126 – Nathan Bonham, Pueblo County, pin Nicholas Gonzales, Adams City, 3:38
132 – Theorius Robison, Pomona, dec. Darren Green, Broomfield, 16-11
138 – Colton Yapoujian, Pomona, dec. Cole Polluconi, Monarch, 2-1 UTB
145 – Jacob Greenwood, Poudre, dec. Dylan Martinez, Grand Junction, 7-1
152 – Josiah Rider, def. Parker McQuade, Monarch, via injury forfeit
160 – Gabe Dinette, Lakewood, dec. Orion Gutierrez, Rio Rancho (NM), 4-2
170 – Parker Benekas, Ponderosa, dec. Christian Powell, Adams City, 4-2
182 – Seth Lathum, Grand Junction, tech. fall Drian Hays, Legacy, 17-1
195 – Jayden Woodruff, Ponderosa, pin Edward Chavez, Rio Ranch (NM), 1:01
220 – Mason Watt, Broomfield, def. Dante Garcia, Pueblo County, via injury forfeit
285 – Cohlton Schultz, Ponderosa, pin Gabe Garcia, Rocky Ford, 1:44.
DENVER — For many, the Thunderdome at Manual High School is a magical place. Kent Denver feels it should be included in the many. There’s something about that gym for the Class 3A No. 3 Sun Devils.
They have a knack of overcoming large deficits and coming away with wins.
They trailed Manual big last year only to rally back beat the Thunderbolts. They opted to repeat that successful formula this year. After trailing by 10 heading into the fourth quarter, Kent came away with a 69-68 win, thanks to, among many things, a free throw from Zach Schlichting.
He went to the line with 14 seconds left and the game tied. He had two chances to give the Sun Devils (11-2 overall, 4-0 Class 3A Metro) a lead.
He missed the first one.
“I thought it was good when it went off my hand,” he said. “So I knew the second one was going in.”
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
No. 8 Manual had a chance to get off a shot, but Jaedon Bowles, who scored a team-high 24 points, couldn’t get in a position to take the shot and was forced to pass it off. When the buzzer sounded, it the Thunderbolts (8-4, 2-1) lost despite holding a big lead in the second half.
“(We committed) mental mistakes and we didn’t take care of the ball at the end of the game,” Manual coach Omar Henry said. “We’ll see them again. We know that’s the team we have to beat for the Metro League championship.”
It seemed like the Thunderbolts were going to take control earlier and maintain it for the full stretch of the game. They took a five-point lead into halftime and the Sun Devils were unable to contain Bowles.
They were in it at that point mostly because of Coby Gold, who scored 13 of his game-high 25 in the first two quarters.
Manual really seized control in the third when Bowles scored 10 and Gold was held to just two.
“In the third quarter I was being locked up,” Gold said. “I found a way to get free in the fourth and get our team back in it.”
He couldn’t help but look around after the game and think back to a little less than a year ago. It was a similar situation with Manual holding a big lead and Kent having to fight its way back.
The Thunderdome is home legendary battles between Denver Public School rivals. But lately for Kent, when it leaves the confines, it’s usually with a similar magical feeling.
“This gym, since last year, has always been magical to us,” Gold said. “We keep coming back. We were down I think 19 in this game (last year).”
By the time the Sun Devils had battled all the way back, a mental victory had been all but locked up.
As Kent coach Todd Schayes – confined to the bench after a technical foul – watched his boys scratch and claw, he knew the overall outcome would matter very little compared to what had just been done and what kind of a tone that can set for the rest of the year.
“We were playing with house money,” he said. “If they win at the buzzer, we’ll be excited to be here a month from now for the district tournament. It’s only January 19th.”
No need to wait a month. The Sun Devils left the Thunderdome with the win they were seeking and fought so hard for. And as magical as the gym has been to them recently, they can’t wait to get back.
LITTLETON — A second-half defensive adjustment by Columbine gave Ralston Valley a bit of an issue in the Class 5A Jeffco League game Saturday.
Ralston Valley senior Delaynie Byrne — signed to play at the University of Minnesota next school year — scored 18 points in the first half on the Rebels’ home court. Columbine coach Greg Bolding Jr. was determined to not allow Byrne to have the field day she had in the opening 16 minutes.
“She (Byrne) proved to us that if she gets the ball she can score on anybody,” Bolding said. “We put a little more pressure on her and would double or triple her every time she got the ball. We wanted to make her uncomfortable.”
Ralston Valley’s Sydney Bevington (33) attempts to get off a shot before Columbine’s Maura Singer closes in. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Byrne was held to just two points on a pair of free throws in the second half.
“I just try to mix it up. I was feeling really good in the first half,” Byrne said of her shot selection after starting the game 3-for-3 from 3-point range. “Nothing was really going well in the second half. I just have to find the open man and the person with the hot hand.”
In the end, Ralston Valley’s lead was just too much for the Rebels (11-4, 2-3 in 5A Jeffco) to overcome. The Mustangs, No. 2 in the latest 5A girls basketball CHSAANow.com rankings, eventually won 55-36 to extend their winning streak to a dozen games.
“We were out of sync,” Ralston Valley coach Jeff Gomer admitted about the second half where Columbine outscored Ralston Valley 22-20. “That was the first time a team has done that to us. It’s nice how we reacted in the fourth quarter.”
The Mustangs (12-1, 5-0) went 10-for-12 from the free-throw line in the final six minutes after the Rebels cut Ralston Valley’s lead down to as few as 12 points. Ralston Valley led 35-14 at halftime with a layup at the buzzer by junior Shelby Nichols.
Nichols had a dozen points in the first half and finished with 16 points. Byrne finished with 20 points, but it was junior Maddie DeHerrera who stepped up with a trio of much-needed 3-pointers.
“She (DeHerrera) was huge coming off the bench,” Gomer said. “She really kept us in it the second half.”
DeHerrera scored 11 points off the bench.
Singer, a junior who missed most of her sophomore season due to injury, finished with a team-high 12 points for the Rebels. Sophomore Quincey Baum (nine points), senior Jenna Lohrenz (seven points) and freshman Adrienne Harnum (seven points) had strong games facing the conference-leading Mustangs.
“Very happy,” Bolding said of the second half. “It’s good for us to know that if we can play four quarters like that we can go play with some of the best in the state.”
Ralston Valley has won every 5A Jeffco game by double-digit points. The Mustangs have a non-league road game against Westminster on Monday before playing its final conference game of the first go-around in the league at Arvada West on Wednesday.
“We just need to build on what we’ve done. We’ve been in a bit of a slump,” Nichols said. “Hopefully we can build on what we did well today.”
The Mustangs host No. 9 Lakewood at 5:30 p.m. Friday. If Ralston Valley can sweep the season series against the Tigers it would clear the path to a second straight conference title for Ralston Valley.
“Once we get all the pieces involved we are going to be very tough to beat,” Byrne said.
Columbine sits behind Ralston Valley, Lakewood and Dakota Ridge in the conference standings, but Bolding said he likes the direction the Rebels are trending.
“The growth we’ve had in those three (league) losses is going to help us in the long run,” said Bolding, who guided Golden’s girls basketball program to a 4A Jeffco League title last year before leaving for Columbine. “Those losses might be a blessing in disguise. The girls have to believe and our girls are starting to believe.”
Ralston Valley junior Shelby Nichols (15) puts up a layup during the first half Saturday against Columbine. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
There is no doubt that Mesa Ridge’s Chloe Welch excels at many things. She averages over 17 points, nearly 10 rebounds and six assists per game for the Grizzlies.
She stands out in the classroom. According to coach Jeff Beatty, she carries a 4.3 grade point average.
But what really sets her apart from the rest of the players that Beatty has either coached or seen this year, is that she’s the best when it comes to rallying her teammates and getting the best out of them as much as she does herself.
“Chloe as a teammate is probably the best player I’ve ever had,” Beatty said. “And I’ve been coaching for 18 years.”
Currently sitting at No. 7 in the Class 4A girls basketball rankings, Mesa Ridge has a shot to claim its first state championship since 2014. An eighth-grader at the time, Welch wasn’t paying that much attention to what was going on with the team.
She came in her first year understanding that the Grizzlies had just come off with a title win. But she didn’t necessarily feel that it was her job to make sure the team stayed at that level.
“I didn’t experience it and I didn’t know any of the girls,” Welch said. “Their state championship didn’t motivate me, I was more focused on taking the team that I had and making it better.”
As a freshman, she averaged about seven points per game. The focal point of the offense was still very much Kylee Shook. For two years, Beatty was fortunate enough to have a couple of the top players in the Colorado Springs area on the same roster.
“To have two of these back-to-back, no one else is going to get that kindness given to them,” Beatty said.
With Shook now gone at Louisville, it has been Welch’s team the last two years. For the 2016-17 season, she led the team in scoring, assists and steals.
The Grizzles advanced to the 4A quarterfinals before losing to Pueblo West. As she has developed over the years, she’s had a general idea of the kind of player she wanted to be by the time she was a senior.
She feels like she fits that mold.
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
“I’ve always been working to be who I am,” Welch said. “It’s kind of been expected. I’ve always expected to be at the level I am.”
She doesn’t say that with any carelessness. No matter the situation of any game, it’s easy to see that every bit of success she’s achieved has come through an elite level of work. That’s what made her so appealing to college teams.
Although she’s reached the level of play that she has aimed for, she knows that there is still a lot of improvement needed as she prepares to play at Davidson after she graduates.
“I need prepare a lot more for college,” she said. “I need to get a lot stronger, I need to get my skill sets up and my shot a lot better.”
She has time for everything to come together. And it’s easy to simply throw out stats to show how strong of a basketball player she is, but it’s another to watch her on the court.
From her defense to her ability to create shots for herself or any of her teammates, she certainly passes the eye test. Combined with her leadership abilities on and off the court, she’s a kid that encourages Beatty to work all that much harder so he can send her off to college with a state championship ring.
“You always want that for your kids,” Beatty said. “We have a lot of kids that can score. I think we’re going to be a tough out.”
With someone as talented as Welch on the floor, it will be tough for any time to send the Grizzlies packing when the state tournament starts in about a month.
And if there is anyone in 4A who doesn’t know about Mesa Ridge’s star guard, they will at that time.
LITTLETON — The 160-pound bout during the Class 5A Jeffco League dual just looked different then all the other wrestling matches Thursday night at Chatfield High School.
Lakewood’s two-time state champion Gabe Dinette locked up with Chatfield’s three-time state qualifier E.C. Manzanares. Dinette is ranked No. 1 and Manzanares is No. 8 in the 5A 160-pound rankings put out by Tim Yount’s On the Mat rankings.
“You’ve got to appreciate good wrestling,” Chatfield coach Paul Peronard said of the 160-pound match that Dinette won with a 9-1 major decision. “Dinette is a horse. He goes out and gets after you. He is heavy on the head, kind of old-school in a way. I just love that.”
Dinette got out early with a first-period takedown and never trailed. Manzanares managed an escape in the second period, but Dinette got another takedown and then a reversal to close out the match.
Lakewood’s Jerry Gallegos, right, works on a 1-period pin of Chatfield’s Jack Snodgrass. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“Taking every match as a learning experience is what it is,” Dinette said about his approach as he attempts to become Lakewood’s first three-time state champion in the school’s history. “Win, lose or draw it’s about learning from every match.”
After not placing at state his freshman season, Dinette went on a mission to become one of the state’s top wrestlers.
“He (Dinette) is really confident and works really hard,” Lakewood coach Daren Stennes said. “His attitude has been the same since the end of his freshman year.”
The future Stanford University wrestler racked up a 95-2 record his sophomore and junior seasons on his way to 5A titles at 145 and 152 pounds.
Dinette has dropped two out-of-state matches at a tournament in California this season. He will get a tough test when the Tigers compete at the two-day Top of the Rockies Tournament at Centaurus High School tomorrow and Saturday.
“I’m super excited,” Dinette said of heading to the Top of the Rockies for the first time. “It will be tough competition and getting that intensity level up so I’m ready for regionals.”
Despite the loss, Manzanares knows facing the favorite to win the 160-pound state title will help his preparation for regionals and hopefully a fourth straight trip to state.
“I feel like I competed decently. There are a couple of things I could fix on my feet and on bottom to make that match a little closer,” said Manzanares, who is a three-sport (football wrestling and baseball) athlete. “Wrestling him was fun, just got to find ways to get on top.”
While Manzanares is familiar with Pepsi Center, he has never placed at the state tournament.
“My goal is to peak at the prefect time and if I do that I’m putting myself in the best position I can,” Manzanares said. “I’ve never placed at state and that’s the main goal.”
According to Peronard, Manzanares had wrestled nine ranked wrestlers this season and his record in those matches is 6-3.
With Manzanares being a three-sport athlete, that has limited his time on the wrestling mat. However, Peronard said the senior got in some training before football season even ended this year to get a jump on preparing for his final year wrestling.
Chatfield’s Artem Rusakov, left, and Lakewood’s Parker Beastrom lock up Thursday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“One thing that works against (Manzanares) is he is a great athlete,” Peronard said. “I get him after football season because he is an all-conference player and I don’t see him much during the summer because he is a varsity baseball player. It always seems like we are behind the curve getting ready.”
When it came to the team points in the dual Thursday night, Lakewood edged Chatfield 44-36.
One of the turning points in the match was at 138 pounds. Lakewood’s William Wallace trailed Chatfield’s Will Guess 17-7 in the third period, but Wallace was able to get a reversal and pin with under a minute to go to get the victory.
“We put some young guys in there. They looked young, but they did well,” Stennes said. “We were happy with the matches.”
Chatfield heads Saturday to Smoky Hill High School in Aurora for a tournament as the regular season quickly wraps up. The state qualifying regional tournament will be Feb. 9 and 10, with the state tournament Feb. 15-17 at Pepsi Center in Denver.
Lakewood’s William Wallace, top, works on getting Chatfield’s Will Guess to his back during the 5A Jeffco dual Thursday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
